


Peaceful

by plikki



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Episode: s03 Startrain, F/M, Literal Sleeping Together, One Shot, just thinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 17:17:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,891
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20697179
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/plikki/pseuds/plikki
Summary: Two tired superheroes fall asleep together and on the verge of dreaming their thoughts lead them to surprising places





	Peaceful

**Author's Note:**

> I guess it's my talent (or a curse) to cram as many thoughts and feelings as I can in a scene which doesn't last more than a couple of minutes. So not much (more like nothing at all) is happening, but there is something there. I was aiming at cute but ended up with a dash of longing too. I hope you like it!

Adrien carefully made his way towards Alya’s seat, trying to make as little noise as possible when he saw that Marinette was sleeping. 

As he sat down, he couldn’t help wondering why Marinette was so exhausted that she’d practically went out like a light. Recalling her loud yawn that had made the whole class laugh, he felt his heart warm up again. He could only imagine what he’d looked like when his gaze had been drawn to her then, but there was no mistaking the fondness he’d felt in his heart. She’d looked totally adorable, giving in to such a natural impulse and then getting embarrassed by it. 

He suddenly felt her head fall on his shoulder and tried not to jump in surprise at the contact. He looked down at her sleeping form and the familiar protectiveness he always felt around her for some reason was there again. He never gave it any thought when he was near her, but sometimes paused to wonder what felt different when she was gone and the feeling had dissipated. 

There was no way for him to explain the overwhelming need to protect her, keep her safe and away from danger. But if he stopped and took a look inside, he would have noticed that it was as if he was attuned to her. If he was in a room full of people and Marinette was there, even with his eyes closed, he could have been able to pinpoint her exact location without thinking. He just felt drawn to her and when something did happen, he acted on impulse. To jump in front of her to protect her, to shout to her to hide if she was too far, it was all like second nature to him. Much like how he felt with Ladybug, but with her it made sense. He had to protect her, he was her shield and it was his job to always be one step ahead, to see danger before it struck her. So when he was around her, his body was on high alert, always ready to spring into action without a moment’s hesitation. And this was why he was aware of her every move, even when he wasn’t looking at her. 

But to think about why he felt like that around Marinette was baffling. Of course he cared deeply about her and would give everything to keep her safe. But was this connection, the bond of friendship they shared, enough to explain his instincts? Was it because they’d been in enough dangerous situations together, with her almost always being in the eye of the storm or running towards it instead of away from it? He knew she was brave and didn’t shy away from danger, rather she looked it in the eye. And he admired her for that. But it didn’t help ease the worry in him, the need to be there for her no matter what. 

So now, when she was asleep and at her most vulnerable, the feeling was stronger than ever and Adrien was glad that he could be there, so close to her, to act if necessary. But thinking about how exhausted she must have felt only brought home to him how tired he was. He didn’t even try to fight the fatigue washing over him, his eyes closing on their own accord. Just for a second, he promised himself.

Fighting akumas during the night, running on little or no sleep the next day was nothing new to him and he was used to it by now. He could usually function pretty normally with the hope to catch up on sleep as soon as possible But sometimes the tiredness built up and crept up on him when he least expected, like this moment, when he just couldn’t fight it off. For a fleeting moment, he thought of Ladybug, of how she must be tired as hell as well, worry and longing for her mixing in his heart. He wondered if she was able to snatch a minute or two of sleep wherever she was. 

As his mind drifted off, there were the thoughts of Marinette sleeping next to him, of how peaceful and calm he felt all of a sudden and how good it was to be able to let his guard down like that with someone. But there was also that pang in his heart, the treacherous thought of how much he wished he had Ladybug with him instead, to see her relax around him enough to close her eyes and surrender to the need to sleep. He was unable to stop himself from imagining how he’d carefully put his arms around her and draw her warmth closer to him, how he’d revel in her closeness and the simple act of holding her. His heart ached with the need to be near hear in this way, which he knew was impossible.

He didn’t realise it but the thoughts of the two girls were dangerously close to getting mixed, his feelings for the one mingling with his dreams for the other. But by the time this came around, he was already nodding off, sleep taking over him and putting an end to that train of thought before it came to any conclusion. 

***

Marinette gave up on fighting the overwhelming need to just sleep for a moment. It was a good thing they were on a train and she could steal some precious minutes of much needed rest. She closed her eyes and almost immediately fell asleep. But just as she was on the verge of sleep, at that moment when her mind shuts off, she felt this amazing peacefulness wash over her. She didn’t know what had changed since she first closed her eyes, but there was this invisible presence that made her feel safe and calm. 

Since she was almost asleep and wasn’t guarding her thoughts vigilantly, her mind allowed her the luxury of thinking about someone she didn’t very often let herself indulge into. There was only one person who made her feel safe. One person who she trusted with her life. Chat Noir was that person for her. 

It was true he could annoy her to death and there were many times when she wished she could make him shut up before he made a cringe-worthy comment or a lame joke. But he was still the best partner she could ask for. There was no doubt in her mind and heart that he’d give his life for her without a second thought. This made her feel guilty because she knew there were situations when she needed to take advantage of this, in spite of being torn apart by worry and the ludicrous need to be the one to protect him. 

She knew that part of the reason he was so ready to protect her was because he loved her and would do anything for her. The thought usually made her feel sad because she wished with all her heart that she didn’t have to hurt him by rejecting his feelings. But at times when she allowed herself this weakness it filled her heart with warmth and fondness for him. Because she couldn’t deny the fact that she cared very deeply for him and wanted more than anything to see him happy. If that meant him finally giving up on his feelings for her, even if the thought left her surprisingly forlorn, then she wished this could happen. 

Marinette was sure that he would be just as devoted to keeping Ladybug safe even if he didn’t love her like that any more. After all, she knew how hard he tried to protect her as Marinette and he’d made it clear that for him she was just a good friend. So this was just part of him, being brave and reckless at times, but always putting her and her safety first.

She felt so helpless sometimes, because she couldn’t repay him in kind. Because she realised she needed him to protect her so she could come up with a plan and defeat the villain. And also it was true that he was the dispensable one, as much as it pained her to admit it. Because if the villain influenced her or caught her, there was no one else to capture the akuma. There had been just this one time, when they’d ended up with each other’s Miraculouses, when she felt what he probably felt every time - that she would take every hit for him no matter what because he was the one everything depended on.

But even when he was in his normal role, her Chat, she wanted to keep him safe. At least, she wanted to minimise the risk for him. Thinking about that time when he’d been hit by Miraculer and left in so much pain with her being unable to help him, left a bitter taste in her mouth. She’d been so worried while also trying to stay focused on defeating the villain in order to cleanse the akuma and heal him. She didn’t want anything like that to happen again if it depended on her. She hoped that he was fine now, that he had a quiet place and some time to rest after the busy night, like her. 

She was brought back from her thoughts about Chat and the safety she associated with him by urgent voices near her. She was drowsy and couldn’t exactly understand what they were saying but as she forced her eyes to open they fell on the one whose shoulder she was sleeping on. Adrien. She could have snorted. This was so obviously a dream that she just closed her eyes again.

But as she felt herself drifting off again, it was Adrien who filled her thoughts. Because she felt safe with him too. For some strange reason, on a number of occasions, he’d ended up protecting her from danger too. Being tackled to the ground by him, when she was not in her superhero suit, wasn’t very pleasant, but she wouldn’t complain because it felt so good to see him protect her without hesitation. As for him, it seemed like he didn’t realise he could hurt her like that, it was as if he was used to pushing someone protected by a magic suit on the ground so it was just normal for him. What a strange thought. 

But then again, he’d never hesitated to jump in and fight against villains to help Ladybug as well. This was when he was unprotected by a superhero suit as well. She didn’t even want to think about the times he’d saved her life when she’d given him the snake Miraculous. He’d been so brave and selfless then even if he claimed he’d failed. 

Somehow, while she was on the verge of falling asleep, on that train seat, she felt confused by that feeling of being protected and kept safe by someone. The images of Chat and Adrien blended in her mind for a tiny second but it was quickly lost as her consciousness gave way to dreams. 

Afterwards, Marinette was so shocked when Alya showed her that photo of her and Adrien peacefully sleeping together but she couldn’t for the life of her remember how she’d felt or what she’d thought at the moment. 

**Author's Note:**

> I really like the idea of Adrien feeling subconsciously drawn towards Marinette. Just think about it. Ladybug is his partner AND the love of his life. Of course he's hyper aware of her every move. So how does this translate into his relationship with Marinette, since they are the same girl but he doesn't know it? He should feel the same connection on some subconscious level. He doesn't realise it, but it's there and explains why he cares so much about her, in spite of barely knowing her.


End file.
